The use of computer systems and computer-related technologies continues to increase at a rapid pace. This increased use of computer systems has influenced the advances made to computer-related technologies. Indeed, computer systems have increasingly become an integral part of the business world and the activities of individual consumers. Computer systems may be used to carry out several business, industry, and academic endeavors.
Data on computer systems may be routinely backed-up or archived to a data storage device. During a backup process, copies of data may be made and later used to restore the original data. Backing up data may prevent data from being permanently lost after a data loss event. In addition, data backups may prevent data that is accidentally deleted from being lost permanently.
Computer systems typically include applications, executable files, or programs to access certain data. For example, a particular executable file may be required to open a certain data file. Often, a period of time elapses between backing up a data file and restoring the data file. During the time between backing up the data file and restoring the data file, the executable file used to access the original data file may be updated. When the data file is restored, the updated executable file may not be able to access the restored data file. As a result, an enterprise may restore the entire operating system when a data file is restored. The restored operating system may be in the form that existed at the time the original data file was backed-up. This current approach is expensive and requires a large quantity of computing resources. As a result, benefits may be realized by providing improved systems and methods for retaining an executable environment during a backup (and restoration) process of data.